This invention relates to a corner protector for a surgical tray. More specifically, this invention relates to a surgical tray corner protector comprising a base, a side wall which extends from an outer edge of the base, and support members extending from the base to form a tray support surface, providing improved drainage and air flow.
In hospitals, surgery centers, and other healthcare facilities, surgical instruments must be sterilized prior to use. Normally, surgical instruments are placed in a surgical tray, which is wrapped in a sterilization wrap to protect the instruments from subsequent contamination. The wrapped surgical tray is then inserted into an autoclave and sterilized.
After sterilization, the wrapped tray is placed on a storage shelf or cart until it is needed for a surgical procedure. When the surgical instrument sterilization tray is needed, it is delivered to the operating room. Before the surgical tray is unwrapped, the integrity of the sterilization wrap is inspected to ensure that it does not contain any rips, tears or holes. If the wrap is compromised, the instruments are considered contaminated and can not be used.
Most sterilization wrap is susceptible to tearing and ripping. Handling by hospital staff is the primary cause of ripping of sterilization wrap on a surgical tray. Many of the surgical trays used in healthcare facilities are heavy and/or have sharp corners. When the wrapped surgical tray is slid across a surface, instead of being directly lifted, the corners of the surgical tray can puncture the wrap, thus destroying the sterile environment in which the surgical instruments are stored.
If the sterilization wrap on a surgical tray is torn, the surgical instruments must be rewrapped and sterilized again, which results in reprocessing costs and takes up staff time. In addition, surgical procedures may consequently be delayed. Thus, there is a need in the art for a surgical tray corner protector that will prevent sterilization wrap surrounding a sterile surgical tray from being ripped or torn by the corners of the tray, and, therefore, rendering the surgical instruments unsterile.